Tax Technology Archives

Can an AI agent really complete a partnership tax return by itself? A two-year-old startup just raised $100 million claiming it can, but the hosts of The Accounting Podcast want to see the receipts.

In a recent episode, Blake Oliver and David Leary tackle the biggest AI claims hitting accounting right now. A startup called Basis says it built an AI that can prepare partnership tax returns autonomously. Intuit mentioned AI 150 times in one earnings call while announcing deals with both OpenAI and Anthropic. And new desktop tools let accountants automate recurring tasks without writing any code.

But that’s not all they covered. Trump’s tariffs were just ruled illegal, setting up a gold rush of refund claims. There’s finally a Senate bill to regulate tax preparers, because believe it or not, there are currently zero requirements. And one tax expert bet his life savings against DOGE and won.

A Billion-Dollar Claim (But Where Are the Receipts?)

The most jaw-dropping news comes from Basis, a startup founded in 2023 that just hit unicorn status. They raised $100 million at a $1.15 billion valuation, with money from Google Ventures and former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein. The company claims it built an AI agent that can complete a partnership tax return autonomously.

Blake explained why this would be huge if true. “When you use TurboTax and you go through the wizard, it’s basically just taking your information and plugging that into the correct boxes on the forms. Partnership returns are much more complex because your balance sheet has to tie out, and you have to make all these adjustments and basis calculations. It gets really complex with the partners’ different shares of ownership.”

If Basis really pulled this off, accounting firms could skip having staff accountants prep these returns entirely. Everything would go straight to manager review. That’s a massive cost savings.

But David isn’t buying it without proof. “Their whole website’s optimized to raise money from investors,” he said. Until just before the fundraising announcement, Basis had no screenshots, videos, or demos anywhere. Its blog posts focus on the money they’ve raised and internal software development rather than showing how the accounting agents actually work.

“Where is this great blog post showing how they’re doing this return?” David asked.

Basis claims 30% of the top 25 accounting firms are “using” their software. But David, drawing from his Intuit days, knows better. “Using and using are not the same two words. A big accounting firm would buy 2,500 seat licenses for QuickBooks. A year later, they rolled out two to clients.”

Blake’s message to Basis was simple, “If you’re listening, we want to see it.”

Get Ready for the Refund Rush as Trump Tariffs Ruled Illegal

While everyone’s debating AI, there’s real money on the table right now from Trump’s tariffs. The Supreme Court ruled them illegal, and companies are scrambling for refunds.

“Eighteen hundred companies have already filed refund lawsuits against the federal government,” Blake reported. Big names like Costco, Goodyear, Barnes and Noble, and FedEx are in the mix. Through December 10th, at least 301,000 importers were subject to these now-illegal tariffs.

The kicker is Trump immediately announced new 15% global tariffs under a different law. But Blake thinks these are probably illegal too. “We have trade deficits, but we don’t have balance of payments deficits,” he explained. Trump is using a law from the 1970s when the U.S. was on the gold standard. Those conditions don’t exist anymore.

The administration’s own lawyers previously argued companies could get refunds if the tariffs were ruled unlawful. Now they’re stuck with that position. As one viewer commented during the livestream, “Only the richest companies will get tariff refunds, and consumers will get hosed in the end.”

“Offer this as a service at your firm,” David says, offering accountants a business idea. “Spin up a service and help importers get their tariff refunds.”

Intuit’s Playing Every Side of the AI Game

Intuit CEO Sasan Goodarzi mentioned AI about once every 30 seconds during the company’s recent earnings call, a total of about 150 times. But the real story is its strategy of partnering with everyone.

They’re working with OpenAI and Anthropic’s Claude. Plus, they’re building their own AI. David compared it to Microsoft in the late ’80s. “Microsoft was working on Windows. At the same time, they were in bed with Apple working on Mac OS, and they were working with IBM on OS/2. Nobody knew which OS was going to win.”

Intuit’s betting that no matter which AI platform wins, it wins too.

Goodarzi made an interesting point about why AI companies want to partner rather than compete. “Frankly, in some ways, this addressable market is too small for them to even worry about.” Accounting AI is tiny compared to the trillion-dollar AI market. These companies would rather partner with Intuit than build their own accounting platform.

The company claims its AI saves customers 12 hours per month on accounting and 17 to 18 hours a week on financial statements. But David called BS. “I just can’t imagine any small business owner spending 18 hours a week building a P&L or a cash flow statement—maybe one week a year.”

But Blake sees why Intuit will survive. “They have the data. They are the trusted database for accounting, financial, and tax information. Somebody could build a QuickBooks clone, but you’re not going to get everyone to switch.”

The AI Tools You Can Actually Use Today

While companies make billion-dollar bets, there are tools available right now that work. Blake’s current obsession is Claude Cowork, which can access files on your computer and click around your desktop.

“You could say every time a new file is added to this folder, look at it and analyze it and figure out what to do with it,” Blake explained. “Maybe I want you to plug those numbers into some practice management system. Maybe I want you to take that file and create an invoice.”

Blake built his own automation that takes meeting notes from Google, extracts all the tasks he committed to, and automatically adds them to his task list with due dates. “I don’t have to wait around for somebody to have that bright idea. I can just build it myself right now.”

The workforce impact is already showing up. According to a Kantata survey, 87% of professional services firms plan to manage AI agents as part of their workforce. But it’s changing the nature of work. The study found that while AI makes workers faster, people end up taking on more tasks and working longer hours without being asked.

For accountants, you’re either a reviewer or you’re in trouble. “It’s hard to get an entry-level job or a job where you’re the doer,” Blake said. “But if you are a reviewer or manager, if you have experience and you know what you’re looking at, you are super in demand.”

Other Big Developments This Week

Other news Blake and David covered in this episode includes:

A Senate bill to regulate tax preparers. There are currently zero requirements to be a paid tax preparer in the US. A new bipartisan bill would let the IRS deny or revoke preparer ID numbers and crack down on ghost preparers who don’t sign returns.
SEC considers biannual reporting. Public companies might only have to report twice a year instead of quarterly. Blake likes the idea. “One of the problems in the US is that companies are expected to beat earnings estimates quarter after quarter. It incentivizes them to make short-term decisions.”
Washington’s CPA problem. Washington State issued a record 2,086 CPA licenses last year, but 60% went to international candidates. You don’t even need a Social Security number to get a CPA license in Washington. “Is the accounting shortage actually getting solved, or is Washington just becoming a gateway for outsourcing?” Blake asked.
The DOGE bet. Alan Cole, senior economist at the Tax Foundation, bet $342,000 of his life savings that the Department of Government Efficiency wouldn’t cut spending. He won $128,000 when the government spent more in 2025 than in 2024. “We were smart enough. We could have done this,” David observed.
IRS scam alert. A Michigan man lost over $1 million to scammers claiming they needed to move his money to a “federal IRS locker” for protection. “Send all your clients an email telling them that this doesn’t exist,” David advises accountants. “It’s a good story. Your clients will open it, and it looks like you’re providing value.”

The accounting profession is at a crossroads. AI agents might really be able to do complex tax returns. Legacy software companies are scrambling to stay relevant. And the tools available today are already changing how work gets done.

But as Aaron Harris from Sage pointed out, “Technology shifts faster than customer trust.” And David added, “It’s probably even worse with accountants.”

Want to hear the full discussion, including why IBM lost $31 billion in market cap when Claude learned COBOL programming? Listen to the complete episode of The Accounting Podcast.

Managing sales tax is one of the most challenging services to offer clients as an accounting firm.

Collecting sales information and filing tax returns traditionally involves a lot of work. It means logging in to multiple state portals, keying in sales data, and filing returns one at a time. With multiple clients filing in multiple jurisdictions each month, this quickly becomes unmanageable.

There’s also a big risk of making mistakes—if you slip up in one small way, it can lead to extensive notice correspondence and mounting penalties.

During an Earmark Expo webinar, hosts Blake Oliver and David Leary explored how modern compliance platforms such as Avalara’s Managed Returns for Accountants (MRA) allow you to expand your services without substantially increasing staff, risk, or costs.

Introducing a New Approach with Avalara

Avalara’s solutions aim to eliminate much of the repetitive manual work by consolidating data and automating return filings. John Sallese, Director of Strategic Accountant Solutions & Partnerships from Avalara showcased how Managed Returns for Accountants offloads the filing burden onto Avalara after the firm has reconciled the data.

Here’s how it works:

Data Collection and Review: Firms import or sync sales data from QuickBooks, Shopify, Amazon, or other systems into Avalara. The platform can also recalculate sales tax liability if needed.
Approval by the Firm: After confirming the monthly numbers are correct, the firm marks each return “Approved to File.”
Automated Filing and Payment: Once approved, Avalara files and remits payment on time, assuming responsibility for meeting deadlines, sending confirmations, and handling notices.

John noted that if the firm misses the approval deadline—usually around the 10th of each month—Avalara auto-approves to avoid late filings.

As an added safeguard, if any Avalara-caused delay results in penalties or interest, Avalara covers those costs under the terms of service.

Two Distinct Service Models: MRA vs. Returns for Accountants

Avalara offers two different models for accounting professionals:

Managed Returns for Accountants (MRA)

Firm’s Role: Gather and reconcile monthly data, approve liabilities.
Avalara’s Role: File returns, handle payments, and manage notices.
Key Benefit: Reduced risk for late filings and penalties, as Avalara takes over once data is approved.
Typical Cost: Ranges around $25–$30 per filed return (volume discounts may apply).

Avalara Returns for Accountants (sometimes referred to as “ARA”)

Firm’s Role: Owns the full process—import data, finalize calculations, file, pay, and manage notices.
Avalara’s Role: Provides the software platform, automation tools, and supports advanced e-filing flows.
Key Benefit: Complete control and flexibility over the entire return process.
Typical Cost: Generally lower per return because the firm does more of the work.

Many firms adopt both solutions.

Straightforward filings can go on the MRA model, where the firm approves data and lets Avalara handle the rest.

Complex cases, such as back-filing multiple years, voluntary disclosures, or clients with inconsistent monthly data, might be better served with the RA model, which grants the firm end-to-end control.

Notice Management and Advisory Opportunities

In addition to filing returns, MRA includes comprehensive notice management. This means Avalara addresses notices from tax authorities and resolves them directly, relieving firms of much of the back-and-forth associated with sales tax inquiries.

Firms also gain better visibility into potential advisory projects. “You’re not just filing returns,” John emphasized. “If you see clients calculating tax in states where they’re not registered, you can help them register or do a voluntary disclosure.”

Using these platforms can elevate the firm’s role from simple compliance processing to a strategic advisor, offering value-added services around taxability research, nexus studies, registrations, and more.

Implementation Considerations

John shared what to consider when you’re implementing Avalara MRA:

Data Integration: Ensure you can connect client systems (eCommerce, accounting, POS) to flow data automatically. This reduces manual entry and ensures more accurate filings.
Monthly Workflow: Clearly define who imports data, who reviews it, and when approval is due. MRA’s auto-approval protects against accidental late filing.
Client Onboarding: When setting up each client’s “filing calendar,” you’ll specify which returns need filing, the frequency, and any special state requirements. Avalara’s team verifies each setup to confirm accuracy.
Pricing Your Services: Whether you pass the per-return fees directly to clients or bundle them into a flat monthly charge, clarify the difference between MRA’s delegated model and RA’s self-service approach.

Elevate Your Sales Tax Practice

Sales tax compliance no longer has to be a necessary evil fraught with manual effort and risk. By choosing the right workflow model—either delegating filings to Avalara (MRA) or keeping them in-house (RA)—firms can scale sales tax services while maintaining appropriate oversight. The key is matching each client’s needs to the best approach.

Want to See a Live Demo?
Catch the full Earmark Expo session featuring Avalara, hosted by Blake Oliver and David Leary. You’ll see a real-time walkthrough of the platform and learn how to seamlessly integrate advanced compliance solutions into your firm’s existing workflow.

Earn Free CPE

Visit earmark.app to watch the webinar and earn free NASBA-approved continuing professional education credit.

A Startup Claims AI Can Do Partnership Tax Returns Autonomously, But Where’s the Proof?